Severe Floods Hit Southern China
Heavy rains have poured over large areas of Guangdong province since Thursday, causing rivers in the Pearl River Delta, which serves as China’s manufacturing hub, to swell.
Regions Bracing for Severe Floods
Chinese state media reported that certain regions of southern China are bracing for severe floods, described as occurring approximately once every hundred years, due to heavy rainfall.
Impact of Downpours
The downpours have affected large areas of Guangdong province since Thursday, causing rivers in the Pearl River Delta, a key manufacturing hub in China, to swell.
Weather Advisories
- Weather advisories have been issued for significant portions of central Guangdong.
- The national meteorological agency cautions about severe storms along the coast until Monday evening.
Aerial Footage Reveals Flooding
On Sunday, aerial footage captured by state broadcaster CCTV showed murky floodwaters reaching close to street level in certain towns, submerging low-lying buildings and revealing a towering pagoda amidst the deluge.
Anticipated Flooding Levels
- Three locations within the Bei River basin are expected to witness flooding of a magnitude occurring approximately once every century.
- These areas are projected to experience floods reaching up to 5.8 meters (19 feet) above the designated warning level starting early Monday morning.
Emergency Response
In response to the crisis, authorities have initiated a level-three emergency response in Guangdong, which is the second lowest level in a four-tier system, as per CCTV reports.
Climate Change Impact
While extreme weather events are not uncommon in China, recent years have witnessed the nation grappling with severe floods, prolonged droughts, and record-breaking heat. The increasing frequency and intensity of these events can be attributed to climate change driven by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions, with China being the world’s largest emitter.